Is a Clear Membership Worth It? Here’s How to Try It for Free and Decide

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If you already have TSA PreCheck, now could be the perfect time to consider adding Clear® to your airport security strategies. Here’s how a Clear® Plus annual membership operates (Clear® Plus is simply the name for the membership, functioning the same as Clear®): After registering online and undergoing a brief in-person biometric scan for identity verification, you can approach a Clear® kiosk at any participating airport (currently at over 58 airports nationwide) and scan your fingerprints or eyes (there's no need to present your license or passport). A Clear® representative will then guide you directly to the security checkpoint, bypassing the standard line where TSA agents verify your ID.

With airport security lines stretching longer than ever and even TSA PreCheck lines becoming more crowded as membership grows, Clear® offers a quicker and more streamlined airport experience. Plus, with the right credit card or frequent flyer program affiliation, you might qualify for a free or significantly discounted annual membership.

What is the cost of Clear® Plus?

An annual Clear® Plus membership is priced at $199, but you can reduce this cost through frequent flyer memberships, promotional codes, or credit card statement credits. Additionally, you can add up to three family members or friends to your account for an additional $60 each per year. These added members do not have to travel with you to utilize their memberships. Relatives under the age of 18 can always join a member in the Clear® lane at no extra charge.

Furthermore, if you combine a Clear® Plus membership with a TSA PreCheck membership, you can obtain your first year of Clear® Plus for just $121.05 instead of the full $199. TSA PreCheck itself costs $78 for a five-year membership.

Is Clear® Plus a good investment?

In summary, a Clear® Plus membership is a worthwhile investment if you frequently fly through any of the numerous U.S. airports it services, including major hubs like John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Newark Liberty in New Jersey, Los Angeles International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Denver International Airport, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Some international airports, such as Frankfurt Airport, Rome-Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport, and Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, have also introduced Clear® lanes. For sports enthusiasts, your Clear® membership lets you bypass lines at many prominent sports stadiums across the nation, including Oracle Park in San Francisco and Coors Field in Denver.

How to Obtain Clear® Plus for Free

Along with providing statement credits that cover Global Entry and TSA PreCheck® fees, The Platinum Card® from American Express (annual fee of $695) also offers up to $199 in statement credits each year to offset the cost of an annual Clear® Plus membership. The same applies to The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (annual fee of $695). Interestingly, while the American Express® Green Card provides an annual statement credit of up to $199, there is no Clear® benefit for Gold cardholders.

To take advantage of this benefit, you must first enroll online or by calling the number on the back of your card. After enrolling, simply charge your annual membership fee to your Platinum or Green card, and within days or weeks, a statement credit for the amount paid, up to $199, will be applied. It's important to note that while Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credits are available to each additional Platinum cardholder, the Clear® credit is not.

Additionally, top frequent flyers can also secure a complimentary membership. If you possess Delta’s prestigious Diamond Medallion status, you can obtain a Clear® membership for free. Similarly, those with United Premier 1K status are also eligible for complimentary membership.

Clear® Discounts for Delta SkyMiles Members

Any individual with a SkyMiles account (which is free to register for) can acquire an annual Clear® membership for $189—saving $10 off the regular price. If you hold Platinum, Gold, or Silver Medallion status with Delta, or possess a Delta SkyMiles credit card, the membership fee drops to $159. To enroll, simply visit clearme.com/partner/delta and use your SkyMiles account number.

Clear® Discounts for United MileagePlus Members

Anyone with a MileagePlus account (which is also free to register for) is eligible for a discounted annual Clear® membership priced at $189. Those with United Premier Platinum, Gold, or Silver status, as well as United U.S. credit card holders, can secure their membership for just $159 per year. To connect your frequent flyer account to a membership, include your MileagePlus number when signing up at clearme.com/partner/united.

Maximizing Amex and Airline Benefits

You can combine airline discounts with Amex statement credits to enhance a Clear® membership for yourself, family, and friends. Here’s how: First, enroll for your Clear® credit as a Platinum or Green cardholder. Next, sign up for a membership through either Delta’s or United’s partner links to access discounted rates. This approach ensures your membership costs no more than $189, and Platinum and Green cardholders will receive the full $189 credit.

Which airports feature Clear® kiosks?

As of now, the following airports host Clear® kiosks:

• Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Texas
• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Maryland
• Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, Alabama
• Boise Airport, Idaho
• Boston Logan International Airport, Massachusetts
• Bradley International Airport, Connecticut
• Calgary International Airport, Canada
• Chicago Midway International Airport, Illinois
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Kentucky
• Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Ohio
• Dallas Love Field Airport, Texas
• Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Texas
• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Hawai’i
• Denver International Airport, Colorado
• Detroit Metro Airport, Michigan
• Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C.
• Edmonton International Airport, Alberta, Canada
• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Florida
• Frankfurt Airport, Germany
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston
• Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Michigan
• Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, South Carolina
• Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Hannover Airport, Germany
• Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia
• John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York
• John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Ohio
• Kahului Airport, Maui, Hawai’i
• Kansas City International Airport, Missouri
• LaGuardia Airport, New York
• Rome-Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome, Italy
• London Luton Airport, United Kingdom
• Long Beach Airport, California
• Los Angeles International Airport, California
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Louisiana
• Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Kentucky
• Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Miami International Airport, Florida
• Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, Wisconsin
• Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minnesota
• Montréal Pierre-Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Quebec, Canada
• Nashville International Airport, Tennessee
• Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey
• Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, California
• Oakland International Airport, California
• O’Hare International Airport, Illinois
• Ontario International Airport, California
• Orlando International Airport, Florida
• Palm Beach International Airport, Florida
• Palm Springs International Airport, California
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona
• Pittsburgh International Airport, Pennsylvania
• Raleigh-Durham International Airport, North Carolina
• Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, Rhode Island
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C.
• Sacramento International Airport, California
• Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah
• San Antonio International Airport, Texas
• San Diego International Airport, California
• San Francisco International Airport, California
• Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Washington
• St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Missouri
• Toronto Pearson International Airport, Ontario, Canada
• Tulsa International Airport, Oklahoma
• Vancouver International Airport, British Columbia, Canada
• Westchester County Airport, New York
• William P. Hobby Airport, Houston
• Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma

Is Clear® more advantageous than TSA PreCheck?

While many consider Clear® and TSA PreCheck as rivals, they are designed to work together. TSA PreCheck is free with numerous credit cards and is crucial for smooth travel at U.S. airports. Clear® serves as an additional time-saving option in select airports alongside TSA PreCheck.

If you must choose, TSA PreCheck is the clear winner. The lines for PreCheck are usually shorter and quicker than standard airport security lines. The annual cost ranges from $78 to $85 for five years, and many credit cards offer reimbursements for this fee. Plus, you won’t have to remove your shoes, electronics, or 3-1-1 liquids, making airport security much easier.

We advise against obtaining a Clear® membership without also having TSA PreCheck. You’ll still skip to the front of the regular security line, but you’ll need to take off your shoes and pull out electronics from your bag at the checkpoint, which diminishes your time savings.

Ultimately, the best scenario is to hold both TSA PreCheck and Clear®. This combination ensures the quickest and most efficient airport experience possible. Those with The Platinum Card® from American Express can access both services for free, while frequent flyers with Delta and United can enjoy substantial discounts on a Clear® membership.

While the offers noted above were accurate at the time of publication, they are subject to change at any moment and may have already changed or might no longer be available. All details regarding the American Express® Green Card have been independently gathered by Dinogo.

This article first appeared online in 2018; it was most recently updated on September 17, 2024, to reflect current information.